By Liz Lagniton | 2026-03-05

Philippine authorities have stepped up maritime patrols and logistical support for local fishermen after Chinese vessels allegedly blocked Filipino boats near Scarborough Shoal and Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea, waters that Manila considers part of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it monitored Chinese maritime militia vessels and China Coast Guard ships on February 27 blocking Filipino fishing boats from approaching traditional fishing grounds near Scarborough Shoal, situated about 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province.

Scarborough Shoal has been under effective Chinese control since 2012, though the Philippines continues to assert sovereignty over the area.

In a statement issued late February 28, Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) dispatched the patrol vessel BRP Cabra and 10 BFAR boats.

Authorities distributed fuel, ice and food packs under the government's "Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda" program, which provides logistical support to fishermen and allows them to continue operating in contested waters despite the disruption.

Tarriela said fishermen reported an unidentified drone overhead and temporary Starlink signal disruptions within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal. Near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands west of Palawan province, fishermen reported harassment by Chinese vessels, and PCG vessel BRP Cape Engaño remains deployed.

PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan said deployed vessels are tasked with promoting stability and safeguarding Filipino fishermen, in line with guidance from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to assert the country's rights "without provocation."

Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Philippines exercises sovereign rights within its 200-nautical-mile EEZ. A 2016 international arbitral ruling invalidated China's sweeping "nine-dash line" claim to most of the South China Sea, although Beijing has rejected the decision.

Spotlighting Chinese actions

The incidents coincided with renewed emphasis by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Manila's strategy of addressing tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea.

Publicly documenting maritime incidents is central to countering China's "gray zone" tactics, said Año, referring to aggressive acts that stop short of war.

"Transparency is not provocation. It is a principled and necessary approach to asserting our sovereign rights without resorting to aggression," he said in a March 1 statement.

Put forth in 2023 when Año took over leadership of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, the policy of transparency institutionalizes the release of verified footage, reports and eyewitness accounts documenting incidents at sea.

Systemically publicizing Chinese misbehavior imposes "significant reputational costs on the aggressor, deterring further escalation and establishing credible below-the-threshold deterrence," the NSA chief pointed out.

Philippine defense officials have described the steady presence of Chinese naval, coast guard and maritime militia vessels within their EEZ as an effort to alter the status quo.

China wants entire South China Sea: Trinidad

The "illegal presence" of Chinese forces is aimed at asserting control over the South China Sea, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the Philippine navy on West Philippine Sea matters, told the Philippine News Agency February 18.

"The endstate of the Chinese Communist Party is sea control of the entire South China Sea," Trinidad said, describing the activities as "illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive," according to the Philippine News Agency.

In February, Marcos ordered officials to review infrastructure needs in the Kalayaan Island Group, part of the Spratly Islands and under Palawan province's jurisdiction. The island group includes possible port and air facilities on Thitu Island, the largest Philippine-occupied feature in the area.

The directive, reported February 18 by the Philippine News Agency, calls on the Department of Public Works and Highways to assess the situation on the ground and recommend upgrades to bolster both civilian and military presence.

Improving infrastructure there would help sustain both civilian activity and security operations in the remote archipelago, say officials.

Manila has continued maritime cooperation with allied countries through joint patrols and multilateral exercises.

The activities take place in the West Philippine Sea and nearby international waters in accordance with international law, as Manila seeks to balance deterrence with efforts to avoid escalating tensions, officials said.